The Association of Employment and Learning Providers

Name

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers

Legal name

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers Limited

Website

https://aelp.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Full Membership Fees: AELP generates primary revenue through tiered annual membership fees based on number of learners or clients on government funded programmes. Fees range from entry-level to £12,520 for 5000+ learners.
2. Patron Membership: Premium membership tier at £10,000 + VAT providing enhanced engagement, profile raising, and exclusive benefits in addition to annual membership.
3. Advertising and Eshots: Revenue from eshots to member contacts (£560 member rate, £800 non-member rate) and display advertising in The Insider quarterly magazine.
4. Events and Conferences: Revenue from conference attendance, sponsorship opportunities, and exhibitor fees at AELP National Conference and other events.
5. Associate Membership: Annual associate membership fees for organisations without government funded delivery, ranging from £730 to £3,100 depending on type and achievements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

AELP is a national membership body that sells tiered annual memberships to training providers, further education colleges, employer providers, higher education institutions, local authorities, awarding organisations and other sector stakeholders. Members receive policy advocacy, representation with government and combined authorities, the MyAELP portal, AELP Exchange collaboration network, VWV-built model contracts, the Countdown newsletter, The Insider magazine, member-exclusive policy webinars, conferences and discounts via SectorSAVE. The organisation also generates revenue through events, sponsorships, paid advertising and webinars on demand.

Product overview

The Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) is a national membership body representing organisations in the skills sector. Rather than a single software product, AELP offers a portfolio of membership services including AELP Exchange (a collaborative network with Sector Forums, Special Interest Groups, and Communities of Practice), SectorSAVE (a member discount portal), and various publications (Countdown newsletter, The Insider magazine). Members also receive access to model contracts, policy update webinars, the MyAELP member portal, Ask Ashworth policy blog, and discounted rates on events including the annual National Conference and the AELP Beyond NEET Summit. The organization lobbies for policy changes and provides research through Mini Commissions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AELP Exchange: A member-exclusive network for collaboration, insight and sector engagement, including Sector Forums, Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and Communities of Practice (CoPs).
• SectorSAVE
• The Insider
• Countdown

Products and services

• AELP Full Membership Annual subscription for organisations delivering government-funded apprenticeships, Skills Bootcamps, 16-19 Study Programme and Adult Education Budget provision. Tiered by learner or client count (251-500: £1,320; 501-1000: £2,400; 1001-2500: £3,710; 2501-4999: £6,190; 5000+: £12,520), with separate rates for Levy-Paying employers (over £500k: £1,550; under £500k: £780).
• AELP Associate Membership Annual membership for organisations without government funded delivery including professional bodies, institutes, societies, federations, LEPs and awarding organisations. Priced at General £730, Professional Bodies/Institutes/Societies & Federations £1,090, LEPs £850, with Awarding Organisations priced at £1,545 (up to 10,000 annual achievements) and £3,100 (over 10,000).
• AELP Patron Membership Premium annual patronage tier at £10,000 + VAT in addition to the AELP annual membership fee, providing enhanced engagement, profile raising and exclusive benefits for member organisations seeking premium sector visibility and leadership access.
• AELP Regional Network Membership Discounted annual membership for organisations that are members of partner regional provider networks across England, priced at £520, providing the full AELP membership offer at a 15% discount.
• AELP National Conference Annual flagship in-person conference and sector exhibition for providers of work-based learning across all sectors, generating revenue from attendee fees, sponsorship packages and exhibitor bookings.
• AELP Beyond NEET Summit In-person sector-led summit bringing together providers, employers and practitioners to explore practical solutions for supporting young people furthest from the labour market. Scheduled for 9 September 2026 at etc.venues Manchester, Piccadilly.
• Webinars on Demand Paid library of recorded AELP webinars covering the latest news and sector developments, with presentation slides and Q&A content available for purchase.
• SectorSAVE Member-exclusive portal for AELP members and stakeholders to share and access exclusive offers, discounts and promotions. Complimentary to all AELP members.
• The Insider Quarterly themed digital magazine circulated to AELP member contacts featuring sector-relevant content alongside display advertising opportunities (full page £400 member / £795 non-member per insertion, half page £280 / £560).
• Countdown Newsletter AELP's weekly e-newsletter keeping members and key stakeholders up to date with developments across the skills and employment sector, also used as a paid eshot advertising channel at £560 member / £800 non-member rates.
• MyAELP Member Portal Self-service member portal hosted at my.aelp.org.uk providing access to member-only news, previous editions of Countdown and The Insider, member-only events (SIGs and Sector Forums), member-exclusive webinars and other member benefits.
• AELP Exchange AELP Exchange is a member-exclusive collaboration network bringing together Sector Forums (e.g. Health and Social Care, Financial Accountancy & Legal, Construction & Clean Energy, Early Years), Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and Communities of Practice (CoPs) using Microsoft Teams channels for ongoing engagement between scheduled meetings.
• AELP Model Contracts Suite of legally approved model contracts produced in partnership with law firm VWV, providing members with templates that on average save around £5,000 per organisation in legal drafting costs and include a free legal helpline for members.
• AELP Mini Commissions Policy research initiative working closely with members and Regional Provider Networks to develop evidence-based positions on key issues facing the skills sector and amplify the collective voice in policy discussions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of AELP members achieved Outstanding or Good Ofsted inspections vs 82% national average
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PeoplePluscoreOthers · 13 April 2026Patron member of AELP. PeoplePlus changes lives through employability and social value solutions, having supported one million people and counting. Also a leading provider of prisoner education.
• AptemcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. Aptem develops technology that enables people to learn and improve their lives, including Aptem Apprentice - an apprenticeship management system utilizing AI features for regulatory compliance and funding management.
• Bud SystemscoreOthersPatron member of AELP. Bud is a joined-up training management platform designed to streamline processes involved in delivering apprenticeships and vocational training.
• City & GuildscoreOthersPatron member of AELP. City & Guilds is a global leader in skills development, providing services to training providers, employers and trainees across various sectors.
• Chartered Management Institute (CMI)coreOthersPatron member of AELP. CMI is the professional body for managers and leaders with over 230,000 members and is the first Awarding Organisation to offer a full suite of management and leadership qualifications from Levels 2 to 8.
• CognassistcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. Cognassist is a unique education solutions company focused on identifying and supporting learners with hidden learning needs, having created the sector's first digital assessment tool for neurodiversity.
• CorndelcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. Corndel is the UK's leading provider of professional apprenticeships, delivering transformative development programmes in data, technology, leadership and business change.
• Davies GroupcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. Davies Group is a specialist professional services and technology firm working with insurance, financial services and highly regulated businesses.
• KaplancoreOthersPatron member of AELP. Kaplan is a leading provider of apprenticeships and skills in Data & Technology, Accountancy & Tax, and Financial Services, operating from 14 centres across England.
• KnoviacoreOthersPatron member of AELP (formerly Paragon Skills). Knovia is a leading national training provider delivering first class apprenticeship programmes across various sectors.
• Learning Curve GroupcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. Learning Curve Group provides a range of services including high quality subcontracted activity, delivering over 80,000 qualifications directly and supporting over 250,000 learners via their eassessorpro platform.
• Leep GroupcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. Leep is a collective of specialist training providers working together to bridge the gap between people who want to grow and employers who need skills.
• Lifetime TrainingcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. Lifetime is the UK's largest independent apprenticeship provider, with over 15,000 people learning with them annually across diverse industries.
• NHS EnglandcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. NHS England's Health Education England team focuses on apprenticeships and widening participation, having developed over 40 new Health specific Trailblazers.
• NOCNcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. NOCN is a leading Awarding and Assessment Organisation creating opportunities for over 30 years, Ofqual regulated with qualifications from Entry to Level 7.
• OneAdvancedcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. OneAdvanced is an innovative software and services business with over 20,000 global customers including colleges, training providers and universities.
• OAL (One Academy Limited)coreOthersPatron member of AELP. OAL is a leading end-point assessment and awarding organisation committed to elevating workforce skills and standards across diverse industries.
• OneFilecoreOthersPatron member of AELP. OneFile has pioneered EdTech for almost 20 years, supporting over 2 million people to learn for their future.
• SIAScoreOthersPatron member of AELP. SIAS is an Ofqual approved awarding organisation created in 2015 by industry for industry, with deep and trusted connection with STEM employers.
• The Careers & Enterprise CompanycoreOthersPatron member of AELP. The Careers & Enterprise Company is the national body for careers education in England, supporting schools and colleges to deliver modern careers education.
• UFI VocTech TrustcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. Ufi VocTech Trust champions the power of vocational technology to improve skills for work through grant funding, venture investment and advocacy.
• VWVcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPatron member of AELP. VWV provides legal services through a partnership with AELP for model contracts, offering members a free legal helpline and access to legally approved AELP model contracts.
• WorldSkills UKcoreOthersPatron member of AELP. WorldSkills UK is an independent charity using international best practice to raise standards in apprenticeships and technical education.
• SectorSAVEminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAELP's portal for members and stakeholders to share exclusive offers, discounts and promotions. Complimentary to all AELP members.
• Skills EnglandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAELP Exchange includes contributions from Skills England representatives. AELP Chair Nichola Hay serves as a Board Member of Skills England.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Enginuity (formerly Semta): Sector skills council and independent organisation for the engineering and advanced manufacturing workforce. Comparable as a sector-coordination body influencing apprenticeship standards, occupational maps, and skills funding — narrower sector remit than AELP.
• Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE): Government arm's-length body with statutory responsibility for apprenticeship standards, T-levels, and technical education in England. Not a competitor but a core ecosystem participant whose remit expansion could reduce reliance on (and standing of) third-party advocacy bodies like AELP.
• Gatsby Foundation: Charitable foundation funding technical education reform, sector pilots, and skills research. Shared sector focus with AELP and comparable convening and research publication activity, but operating via grant-funded programme delivery rather than membership fees.
• UFI VocTech Trust: Charity investing in vocational technology and digital skills. Already a Patron member of AELP; operates in the same skills sector ecosystem with overlapping digital-skills narrative and stakeholder base, but as a grant-maker rather than membership association.

Direct peers

• Employment Related Services Association (ERSA): UK membership association for organisations delivering employment and skills programmes across the welfare-to-work and post-16 skills sector. Directly comparable to AELP in scope (training provider representation), business model (tiered membership fees, events, policy advocacy), and target audience (independent providers, primes, FE colleges).
• Learning and Work Institute: UK independent policy and research charity focused on lifelong learning, skills and employment. Operates with overlapping policy advocacy, sector research, and thought-leadership function as AELP, and engages similar public-affairs stakeholders.
• 157 Group: Membership body representing large further education and tertiary colleges in England. Deeply comparable — shared model of policy representation on apprenticeships and skills, overlapping member base with AELP, and shared focus on sector convening.
• Association of Colleges (AoC): National membership body representing FE and sixth-form colleges in England — directly overlapping with a key AELP member segment. Competes with AELP for policy influence on apprenticeship funding, regulatory representation, and event sponsorship, while representing similar member organisations from a different institutional vantage.

Emerging players

• WorldSkills UK: Independent charity raising standards in apprenticeships and technical education across the UK. Comparable in sector focus (skills/apprenticeships) and convening activity, but operates a charity/event-led model rather than a tiered membership subscription business.

Broad incumbents

• Chartered Management Institute (CMI): Professional body for managers and leaders offering apprenticeship standards from Levels 2-8. Already a Patron of AELP; operates a much broader scope (leadership/management qualifications, chartered status) but overlaps on apprenticeship standards design and provider engagement.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/aelp
• Facebookfacebook.com/aelpuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aelp

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Association of Employment and Learning Providers